Plier type implement



May 18, 1954 Filed Dec. 5, 1952 I 46 ATTORNEY Patented May 18, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PLIER TYPE IIVIPI EMENT 3 Herbert W. Marano, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Wilson-J ones Company,

ration of Massachusetts Application December 5, 1952, Serial No. 324,338

2 Claims. l

The present invention relates generally to manually operable tools, and in particular it relates to tools of the plier type, having a pair of handle elements to be urged towards each other for actuation of the operating components on the tool. I

The main object of the present invention is to provide an improved manually operable tool comprising a pair of opposing and normally divergent I members, a handle for each member operating about a double pivot to urge the diverging members towards each other, and means to lock the handles onto the membersand in operative relation thereto.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a lock member for a pair of normally divergent members having cooperating tool elements at the ends thereof and for a pair of manuallyoperable' handles for said divergent members, said lock member being easily removable. I

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a lock member for a pair of normally divergent tool members and handles therefor, said lock maintaining thehandles in position to actuate the tool members and providing a bearing for pivoting the handles.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a manually operable tool comprising a pair of cooperative tool element bearing members, a. handle for each thereof, and a lock member, the handles having double pivots one of which is adjacent the lock member and the other of which is adjacent one of the divergent members. I I

Other, further and more specific objects of the present invention will, in part,be pointed out hereinafter and, in part, be apparent from the following description of several illustrative embodiments.

In the drawings annexed hereto, and forming a part hereof,

Figure 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of one form of device constructed according to and embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the front portion thereof;

Figure 3 is a plan view, partly in section, on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a front elevational view, partly in section, along the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a side elevational viewgpartly in section, of another form of devicejconstructed according to and embodying the present invention; I

Chicago, 111., a corpo- Figure 6 is a plan view, partly in section, on the line 6-6 of Figure 5; and I Figure 7 is a side elevational view of still another form of device constructed according to and embodying the present invention.

The devices according to the present invention are characterized by a pair of elongated members secured togetherat an end thereof and normally divergent at their other and opposing ends, said other ends being provided with cooperative tool elements, a manually operable handle for each element, and a lock member to maintain the handles in operative position on the divergent memers, the lock passing through aligned slots in the divergent members and in the handles and including components extending over the handle ends whereby to provide a bear g about which an upper portion of each handle can pivot, each handle having a lower portion resting against and pivoting about one of the resilient members.

In Figures 1 to 4, I have illustrated the application of my invention to a hand tool for removing staples or the like, the device being indicated generally by reference numeral I0 and comprising a pair of opposing members I 2, I4 of substantially similar length. These members I2, I4 may be die-stamped or punched of springy, preferably metallic material, flattened at the rear thereof, as at I6, I8 respectively, and riveted together as at 20. Members I2, M are bent outwardly and then forwardly, as at 22, 24 respectively spaced forwardly of the riveted ends I6, I8, to offset with respect to each other the bodies and front ends thereof, as shown in Figure 1. The permanent deformations of members I2, I4 at 22, 24 cause the unattached ends thereof to spread apart; the inherent springiness of the material permitting fiexion at the bend areas. The front end 26 of member I2 is provided with a downwardly extended tooth portion 28, and the front end 30 of member I4 is provided with a forwardly extended lip 32, which cooperates with tooth 28 for removal of clinched staples or the like, when the members I2, I 4 are brought together to cause tooth, 28 to ride over, against and past lip 32, as will be readily understood.

A longitudinally extending slot 34 is formed in member I2, midway between the sides thereof, and a similarly sized, shaped and positioned slot 36 is formed in member I4, also midway between the sides thereof, the said slots 34, 36 being vertically aligned. The sides of members I2, I4, from a. point rearward of the rear ends of slots 34, 36, are flanged upwardly and downwardly respectively, as indicated at 38, 40 respectively,

' end 58 of each handle, spaced rearwardly of the handle end 50, thereby providing a cross-bar 52 as an integral part of the handle, this cross-bar 52 defining an upper pivot. The depending walls 44, 44 immediately adjacent the forward end of. each handle 42, are so shaped, that their lower edges definecam surfaces or lower pivot portions 54. The lower pivot portions 54, 54 are defined by the lines or areas of intersection of the bottom edges 55 of depending walls, 44 which angle upwardly at the forward ends of the handles from a point rearward of cross-bar 52, and the bottom edges 58, 58 of the side walls, which form an inner angle with edges 56 of somewhat less than 180. 7

In order to lock actuating handles 42, 42 in operating position in the device, and in order to provide bearing surfaces for the upper pivot portions constituted by cross-bars 52, 52, I provide a bracket or looking member 60. Bracket 66 is formed of substantially fiat, rigid material having a body portion 62 and a pair of arms 8d, 66 extending. forwardly and outwardly from the top and bottom of body 62-, each arm terminating in an inwardly directed finger t5, defining a recess ea between the arm as and the finger 56, each recess 58 defining a bearing for the cross-bars or upper pivots 52, 52. The lower portion 18 0f body 62 at the rear thereof is providedwith a rearwardly extending heel 12.

As. seen inFigure 1, slots 34, 3B are slightly longer than the width of bracket 62 across the iower portion Iii thereof; the upper portion id of bracket body 62 being appreciably narrower than slots 34, 36 are long.

In assembled condition, the locking member or bracket Si) registers with slots 34, 35 in members i2, is and the bracket arms 64, 65 extend through a the said slots therein and through slots 48, 48 in handles #2, 52. The pivots or cross-bars 52, 52 rest in the bearing recesses 58, 68, being urged and retained therein by the outward pressure of the resilient members it, Hi,

bearing against the V fingers and the ends of the arms 64, 64 pass 18 until the cross-bars 52, 52 are aligned with the bearing recesses 68, 68, whereupon the compressed ends 26,:30 of the members l2, l4 are released to spring outwardly and away from each other into the position of Figures 1 and 2, thereby locking the handles on the device in fully operative position. H

When it is desired to actuate the device of the present invention as 32 and tooth 28 are aligned with the staple to be removed, and as handles 42, 52 are manually through slots 48,

pressed towards each other, the leading edge of example, a stripper and a stop bar.

lower edge walls 56, E6 of the handle members and the pivot portions 54, 54. The inwardly directed fingers 5B, 66 fit over the cross-'bars52, 52 and extend into the hollow of the handle at the front thereof.

In order to assemble the device described hereinabove, members l2, l4 are first provided with the coasting elements 28, 32 at the forward ends thereof and then riveted together at the flattened rear'ends l6, l3 thereof, as at 211, 29. The arm 6% extending from the narrower portion i l of bracket 53 is then inserted from below the lower member I'd through slot 36 therein, thence through slot 34 in the upper member l2, and

. then turned counterclockwise until the fingers 56, 66 rest respectively on the outer surfaces of V said members [2, it, retained therein by the normalspring divergence of said members l2, M. Thereupon the forw'ardends 26, 39 of members if, I4 are manuallypressed together, leaving a space between arms 54, 5d and members l2, Hi, whereupon the handles 42 may be slid rearwardly on the outer surfaces of. said members [2, l 4 from the forward ends 25, 338 thereof so. that the.

' members 12, across the forward end of slot 88, forming G0 the tapered tooth 2.8,- will first enter beneath the V staple body and then, as movement of tooth 28 toward extension 32 continues in response to handle pressure, the clinched staple will be flared open, so as to render iteasily removable fromthe material into which it had been clinched. The normal divergent biasing of members 12, i l urges the upper pivots or cross-bars 52, 52 -into-tight engagement with the. bearings or recesses 58-, 58, retaining them there and locking the parts in assembled condition during this manipulation of the device. As the pressure on handles 42 &2

begins, they swing about their upper pivots or cross-bars. 52, 52' in recesses 68, 68, and the lower pivots 54, 54 of the handles bearing upper and outer faces of the resilient members l2, M force them towards each other to complete the operation above described. V

In Figures 5 and 6,, I have illustrated my invention as applied to a hole punching tool, this embodiment differing only in a change in the character of tool: of members l2, l4 and in the provision of, for Parts in the modification of Figures 5 and 6 similar to parts in the modification of Figures 1 to l have been given similar reference numerals, since their structure and operation are substantially similar.

Thus, in the hole punching implement illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, the sides of bothmembers l2, l4 forwardly of the bend areas 22, 24 are fianged outwardly around the sides and at the front as at 38, 4d;- and the upper member I2 is provided with a cylindrical punch element St. depending from the underside thereof, rearwardly of the front end 25 thereof, and the. lower element It is apertured as at 92, in registry with punch 96. is a stripper bar 9 4, secured by the rivets 20, and apertured near the front thereof as at 95 in registry with punch 96, to permit passage therethrough of the punch element ell. Stripper 34 is slotted longitudinally thereof as at $18, the rear 7 portionof whichis in line withthe slots 3a, 36 in l4. A cross-bar B9 is provided smaller opening M2 at the front thereof. A strip lllll is punched out of the body of member 14 and bent upwardly, of such length as to serve as a stop-to. limit movement of members l2, M towards each other, the aperture I02 in stripper M. permitting passage of stop I00. therethrough.

As. illustrated in Figure 5, stripper s4 is no longer than members [2, l4 and its front end tit/extends members I2, 54 and is curved upwardly to guide the material. being perforatedbetween the coacta staple remover, extension 7 against the 7 provided on the opposing ends Interposed between members l2, t4

slightly forwardly of the front ends 26, .30 of In the modification of Figure 7, the invention is applied to a simple pair of pliers, the coacting spring-membersbeing provided, at their forward ends, with inwardly directed, opposing toothed jaws 28a and 30a. Application of pressure on handles 42, 42 causes movement of jaws 28a, 30a towards each other to grip and hold any object disposed therebetween.

As will be readily appreciated, the present invention may be embodied in mechanisms formed of any suitable material, preferably, for the most part, stamped or otherwise formed of sheet metal such as steel. Furthermore, by the provision of the locking member, a pair of coacting elements may be mounted in opposing relationship, to operate positively, easily and efliciently.

The various mechanisms may be assembled and dissassembled easily and quickly, without requiring the services of particularly skilled workers, for shipping, storage and the like. While several specific applications of the present invention have been shown and described hereinabove, it will be clear that other applications may be achieved within the scope of the present disclosure, and my invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

The opposing members, secured at one end of each thereof and normally divergent at the other ends thereof, the handles and the locking member are simple and easy to make and assemble. The forwardly extended arms on the lock members, and the bearing therein, in combination with the upper and lower pivots on the handles about the bearings and resilient members respectively provide positive and direct application of pressure to the particular operating elements mounted at the free ends of the opposing members.

Having described the present invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A manually operable hand tool comprising a bifurcated member including a pair of forwardly directed divergent arms resiliently joined at their rear by a crotch portion and having opposite openings formed in said arms closely adjacent to said crotch portion and having a tool element disposed adjacent the forward ends of said arms, a substantially U-shaped locking member including a pair of forwardly directed arms joined by a cross-piece passing through said opposing openings, said locking member arms extending longitudinally along the outer faces of said bifurcated member arms and terminating in inwardly directed fingers, and a pair of rearwardly directed divergent handles, each of said handles having an aperture formed adjacent its forward end engaged by a corresponding locking member arm and having an inner cam surface engaging the confronting surface of the corresponding bifurcated member arm.

2. A manually operable hand tool in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of said handles is provided with a cross-piece disposed between the aperture formed therein and the forward end thereof, said cross-piece registering with the crotches defined by the joint between said locking member arms and said inwardly directed fingers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 66,986 Newlan July 23, 1867 208,878 Allen et al (Oct. 8, 1878 775,568 La May Nov. 22, 1904 2,120,682 Sharp June 14, 1938 2,477,782 Bassett Aug. 2, 1949 

